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Month: July 2016

Gary Chapman’s The 5 Love Languages has been a huge help to so many, helping us all discover the languages of Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.

Here’s a list of five simple ways to communicate in each of these universal languages, and what to be aware of as you do:

Speak life. Let the people in your life know they are loved and appreciated. Take the time to encourage and affirm them. Listen to what they have to say and speak to them based on the words coming from their heart. If this is their top love language…say everything- a LOT. Make sure you are telling them often not just that they mean a lot to you, but why they do. Don’t just tell them you love them, tell them things you love about them. Describe your feelings when saying “thank you”. Use lots of descriptives when talking to something who ranks high in words of affirmation!Practical ways to speak life: Cards, notes, text messages, letters

Be kind. Go out of your way to do nice things for the people in your life. Hold the door open, wash the dishes, give a foot rub, and generally be available to help in the everyday with things that will make the lives easier of the people you love. If this is their top love language…make sure you’re not lacking follow-through. If you say you’re going to help with something, be sure to help, consistently. Give acts of service without being asked- this is very important to the person who receives love this way. Someone who ranks high in acts of service sees helpful, cement acts as love in action- and nothing else says “I love you” to them the way actually doing things with and for them does.Practical ways to be kind: Performing a chore, making a meal, cleaning a car (all without being asked)

Go out of your way to bring joy to someone else’s day. Who doesn’t enjoy getting little gifts now and again? Find little ways to bless the people in your life- whether by bringing coffee or breakfast to the office for your coworkers, flowers to your mom, a gift card for your dad, or a personalized gift for your spouse. If this is their top love language…make gift-giving a top priority. Someone who ranks high in receiving gifts can feel a bit taken for granted when they keep speaking their language (by giving gifts) and don’t see their loved ones acting in kind. Be aware that it isn’t about how big the gift is (although this may not be as true with birthdays and anniversaries), as much as it is about the fact that you know how to buy a gift they will like and you are willing to spend the money & time to get it and give it to them.Practical ways to bring joy to someone else’s day: Gift card, present, coffee, flowers, book, that thing they’ve been wanting

Spend time doing something meaningful. One of the universal ways many people feel loved is by knowing someone else takes the time to do things that interest them. Put away your phone (unless it’s required for the activity) and spend intentional time with your loved ones doing things that mean something to them. This might be as simple as watching a movie or taking a walk and as complex as going to a museum or gun show. If this is their top love language…your attitude will matter more than it already would. If you’re spending time with them and you don’t seem happy, it won’t mean nearly as much as it would otherwise. Be sure that you aren’t spending more quality time with someone else other than your spouse, if this is their love language. Be sure to be “all there” and give them your undivided attention.Practical ways to spend time: Create a “day out” or “day in” itinerary, go on a coffee date, go on a weekend getaway, eat a meal at a quiet table together (all one-on-one)

Share the love. A hug, a high-five, and any kind of physical act of affection mean a lot to most people. As you discover how your loved ones want to be loved on and find the appropriate balance for your relationship, find non-verbal ways to show affection to the people in your life. If this is their top love language…it’s important to recognize that these people usually feel like they need hugs the way they need air. A bear hug, deep kiss, or warm embrace probably means more to them than any of the other above-mentioned actions. Holding hands, spontaneously hugging, and taking any sort of initiative to show affection (and receive affection) physically means a great deal to anyone with this language.Practical ways to share the love: Hugs, kisses, hand-holding, stroking one’s hair

What are some ways you love to be shown love? Comment below!

Not sure which love language you speak? You can find how your love languages rank here.

We all have those times that, try as we might, we end up at this point where there’s a lot of work to be done and not a lot of free time to be had. Yet, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, so if this summer you aren’t able to go on one of those vacations to some beach on a coast, try these ideas on for size to keep your summer awesome.

Make a list of the fun things you want to do that are feasible this summer. My sister and her kids started doing a “summer fun list” a few years ago after finding the idea somewhere on Pinterest. This encapsulates the goal here- think of some ideas that are fun that you want to do this summer. Going somewhere new in your state, planning a movie weekend, or trying out that restaurant you’ve been driving by for years are all acceptable things to get down on your list!

Be intentional about your free time. A big key to having a great summer when you have no epic vacations planned is to plan fun into your free time! No epic vacation planned probably means no vacation time, so you’ll have to redeem the time when you aren’t working for some of those fun things on your list.

Make up your mind that your summer at home can be amazing. If you’re a summer vacation kind of guy or gal, it might be a big bummer that you aren’t traveling. What’s more, if you’re at home because money is tight, for health-related reasons such as surgery, or with a new baby, you might be tempted to be a bummer about it. However, if you decide your summer is going to be great and go about trying to make it wonderful, with family and friends that are close by, you can have an amazing summer! What kind of time you are going to have is heavily dictated by the mindset you have, but that’s something you can control.

Now, go ahead, make that list! My hubby & I usually stick to our Alphabetical Date Nights plan, so for us, a summer with no travels is a time to be spontaneous and unique and deviate from that. Try organizing friend outings, trips to the lake, an overnight trip to somewhere nearby, and movie nights to start with. Make the most of those three summer holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day) and aim for doing something fun on a weekly basis (at least 😉 ). Some of the ideas on this list might be a great place to start!

What things do you love doing during your summers at home? Comment below!